Grass-fed butter and cheese becoming popular in the north
Thornloe Cheese, located in Temiskaming Shores, is the first grass-fed dairy product producer in the country.
The company receives all of its grass-fed product from farmers across the north east.
“The uniqueness that we have here in Temiskaming to Powassan and the Verner area. There’s a dozen farmers that carry out grass-feeding practice,” said Thornloe Cheese brand ambassador Pamela Hamel.
“Historically in Canada, it was always an import product, so we were the first homegrown option.”
One of the six farms providing grass fed dairy to Thornloe Cheese is Kunkel Farms located in Powassan, just two and a half hours south of Temiskaming Shores.
The farm produces close to 2,000 litres of milk a day and courtesy of a robot milking machine, it takes a lot less man power than it used to.
“We milk approximately 55 to 60 cows, on the one robot. Everything is voluntary, free choice, cows go in there and milk as they want when they want,” said Kunkel Farms owner Dustin Kunkel.
“The robot often identifies the cow based on her neck collar -- it has a radio tag on it. Then it attaches the milking unit to her then cleans her, milks her, post sprays her and releases her after that."
While all of the Kunkel’s grass-fed dairy goes to Thornloe Cheese, it’s only 10 per cent of what Thornloe uses to make grass fed butter and cheese.
“Our milk is tested for Omega 3/6 ratios. If it ever is out of whack, it would show and dictate and we would be inspected,” said Kunkel.
“The rules are 20 per cent of their dry matter intake can be grain, basically just to supplement their health needs because they put out a lot of effort milking.”
Hamel told CTV News grass fed butter and cheese is on the rise in Canada, but said the company is always looking for more grass-fed farms.
“If there’s more dairy companies that want to supply to the grass fed, bring it on,” she said.
“We definitely do need more. The Canadian marketplace for grass fed is growing, but we certainly could use more.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.